USC football players considered for Maxwell, Bednarik awards
Although football season is still more than a month away, three Gamecocks are already on the watch lists of two prestigious awards.
The watch lists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards were announced on Monday, with USC junior running back Marcus Lattimore on the Maxwell list and senior defensive end Devin Taylor and sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney on the Bednarik list.
The Maxwell Award is given every year to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate football player. Named in honor of sportswriter Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell, the award has been given each year since 1937. South Carolina has never had a player win the Maxwell Award. Lattimore is one of 64 players on the preseason watch list for the award.
Lattimore is attempting to come back from a knee injury that cost him the second half of the 2011 season. He finished the 2011 campaign with 818 yards on 163 carries and 10 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 182 yards and one touchdown. Lattimore is currently ranked third in USC history in rushing touchdowns, third in touchdowns scored and 14th in rushing yards. The Duncan, S.C., native has rushed for 100 or more yards eight times in his two seasons at South Carolina.
The Bednarik Award is given to the top defensive player in college football. It has been given every year since 1995 and is named for Chuck Bednarik, a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame. No Gamecock defender has ever won the award. South Carolina is one of 19 schools with at least two players on the watch list.
Taylor has earned All-SEC honors both of the last two seasons and has played in 39 games in his USC career. Taylor started all 13 games last season, posting 42 tackles, six sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. He is currently tied for fifth all-time in career sacks with 15.5 and tied for ninth for career tackles for loss with 27. Taylor was on the Bednarik preseason watch list last year and was also named to the watch lists for the Hendricks, Lombardi and Nagurski Awards.
Clowney was named the SEC Freshman of the Year following his 2011 campaign. The former South Pointe High School (S.C.) standout became the first freshman to start on the Gamecock defensive line since Travian Robertson in 2007. Clowney played in every game last year, forcing five fumbles and eight sacks. He finished the year ranked 8th in the SEC in sacks and was the only freshman in the top 10. Clowney is one of just two sophomores on the Bednarik preseason watch list this year.
Semifinalists for both awards will be announced on Oct. 29, while the three finalists will be named on Nov. 19.